National University of Ireland, Galway
An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2009 2010
REVIEW OF
M.Sc. in CORPORATE STATEGY & PEOPLE
MANAGEMENT,
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND,
GALWAY
Final REPORT
(8th February, 2010)
M.Sc. in Corporate Strategy & People Management: Review Report 2009-2010
This report arises from a visit by a review team to the M.Sc. in Corporate Strategy &
People Management Programme on 29th January, 2010. The programme board had
already prepared and submitted a 'Self Assessment Report' that, with other
documentation, was made available to the review team well in advance of the visit.
The review team consisted of: Professor Geoffrey Wood, School of Management,
University of Sheffield (Chair); Dr Pamela Sharkey-Scott, School of Management,
Dublin City University; and Dr Aidan Kane, School of Business & Economics, NUI
Galway; and Dr Kathryn Cormican, of the School of Engineering & Informatics, NUI
Galway acting as Rapporteur.
The report is structured to cover the following main topics
1. Aims and Objectives
2. Organization and management
3. Programmes and Instruction
4. Scholarship and Research
5. The Wider Context
6. Summary and Concluding Remarks
7. Recommendations
1.
Aims and Objectives
The Review Panel would like to thank the University for the excellent organization of
the review, and for all the support provided during the event.
University experience
The panel found that the University provided a highly pleasant and indeed positive
learning environment. Inter alia, the latter included excellent learning and information
technology resources, and a culture of good staff student relations.
Small class
The small class size in the M.Sc. in Corporate Strategy & People Management helps
to promote good staff student interaction, and aligns to the strategy of the school. At
the same time, possibilities for expanding the programme could be explored.
Mechanisms for promoting learning and the actual delivery process appeared in line
with best practice in the sector.
Aims and outcomes
The aims of the programme were clearly communicated to all key stakeholders, and
sufficient evidence was presented to confirm that the core outcomes were being
attained. The combination of strategy, human resource management (HRM) and
innovation build on the specific strengths of the School. In particular, the introduction
of an innovation and technology focus reflects the School’s research strengths. The
programme is well integrated, with core skills centring on developing strategy and the
implementation thereof.
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M.Sc. in Corporate Strategy & People Management: Review Report 2009-2010
Student profile
The programme attracts high quality students, with most having an undergraduate
degree of 2.1 standard. There are excellent staff student relations. Students appeared
to enjoy the course, and believed it equipped them well for their careers. An
encouraging number of graduates have proceeded to doctoral study, and the Masters
degree appears to have imparted good skills sets to succeed at this level.
The panel note that the decline of B.Comm from 420 to 360 CAO points may impact
on MSc recruitment if high entrance standards are to be maintained.
Strategic planning
Overall strategic planning appears ad hoc, and driven by the initiative of specific
individuals. However, the team deliver a strong programme, aligned with the strategic
priorities of the School and the University. The programme team meets regularly to
discuss content, teaching, supervision, etc. Student feedback is informal and flexible;
the small class size enables strong links with industry. There is also good evidence of
engagement with firms, and opportunities for students to interact with a range of
organisations; however, this process is somewhat open-ended, and could be better
documented.
The review panel note that the limited administrative support constrains the
programme team from developing and implementing strategic initiatives.
Accreditation
There are no immediate plans for accreditation for this programme, but the School is
pursuing EPAS accreditation for another programme. In addition to School
accreditations, other potential programme specific accreditations included AMBA (for
both MBAs and MScs) and the CMI.
Relations between the School and the University
The budgeting process appeared opaque and contradictory information was presented
to the panel. The processes do not appear to be clearly communicated to staff. The
unfortunate impression has been created among staff that there are no incentives for
expanding programmes beyond the target number. Whilst it was explained to the
panel that new posts can flow from sustained growth, the imposed freeze on new
positions precludes this in practice. It may be worth reviewing the impact and
opportunity cost of this, given that the University surely needs to incentivize staff to
maximise income flows from existing programmes.
Whilst there is a great deal of variation between institutions as to which functions fall
under central and which under school budgetary allocations in different university
settings, it is general practice amongst leading management schools for no more than
50% of any surpluses (and in some notable instances, a great deal less so) be allocated
to the centre. Quite simply, sustainable income generation is contingent on functional
incentivizing, and on reinvestment.
In any event, the University costing model needs to be better communicated. In some
instances resources from the programme have indeed been ploughed back to the
discipline for example, through the provision of a new lecturing post. Nevertheless,
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M.Sc. in Corporate Strategy & People Management: Review Report 2009-2010
the perception amongst staff is that commensurate teaching and administrative
resources do not follow on the introduction or expansion of programmes.
The programme does not appear to have any meaningful autonomy regarding
budgeting, with resources being allocated on an ad hoc basis within the School.
Growth
The student staff ratio is 31:1, which appears somewhat higher than the University
norm; ways should be explored for redressing this imbalance.
A major constraint on future growth is the dissertation supervisory capacity in the
School.
2.
Organization and management
The programme appears well organized. An effective induction process is in place.
Course delivery is mostly (approximately 90%) by core full time faculty, supported by
teaching assistants (including PhD students) and guest lecturers. Three of the five
elective modules are exclusive to the programme, two are cross listed with other
programmes. This model is in line with good practice in the sector for MSc
programmes.
There appears to be an effective student evaluation process in place. Formative and
graded evaluation takes place.
Marks have increased over the past two cohorts, although this could reflect higher
standards amongst the student body.
The class representative process appears to generally work well, and seems to be
functional and effective in communicating student concerns to staff and providing
feedback on problematic issues.
Students felt that placements would be welcome, although it is appreciated that it is
difficult incorporating placements into a one year degree.
Administrative support
There appears to be a lack of administrative support for the programme. There are
two issues here. Firstly, there is a need to benchmark administrative to academic
support ratios in line with best practice in the sector. Secondly, there appears to be
constraints on effectively redeploying administrative staff within the School.
Administrative roles appear to reflect past legacies more than present realities. Given
that redeployment may have contractual implications, there is little doubt that the
centre could provide more pro-active support in this process.
More could be done to encourage the usage of standard formatting in terms of course
handouts, templates and associated documentation, especially if high presentational
standards are expected from students.
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M.Sc. in Corporate Strategy & People Management: Review Report 2009-2010
Programme director
The programme’s success appears reliant on the personal initiative and goodwill of
the programme director. Little recognition appears to be given for successful
programme management, whilst an enormous amount of the programme director’s
time appears consumed with the most basic of clerical tasks.
The role of the programme director needs to be clarified, and the workload model
revisited, to make sure the time demands of programme direction are properly
accounted for. An unfortunate impression is created that taking on programme
management roles is detrimental to career progression.
The role of succession for the programme director should also be discussed and
addressed.
Running programmes appears to be a negotiated rather than a rule based system.
Programme marketing and alumni support
The School lacks a programme marketing infrastructure, and the central marketing
function does not appear to provide sufficient support to meet School needs. Again,
there is a lack of focused alumni support. Currently, faculty promote relations with
alumni on an unstructured and voluntary basis. The centre could consider devolving
these service functions to School level.
Related to this, the programme appears to lack a marketing strategy; up to recently it
has been principally via word of mouth with most marketing activity at school level
on an ad hoc basis.
3.
Programmes and Instruction
As noted above, the programme appears well integrated, bringing together two applied
areas (human resource management and innovation management) with an overall
strategic focus.
Student feedback on the programme was overwhelmingly positive. The student body
appeared to be cohesive and mutually supportive, strongly committed to the course
and the career opportunities it affords.
There is a strong reliance on examinations across the programme; staff and students
felt this allowed reading and knowledge to be fully tested under controlled conditions.
4.
Scholarship and Research
Strong research methods and thesis adds to reputation building of the university.
Faculty and students presented convincing evidence that research informs teaching;
there appeared to be a good balance between formal knowledge and applied skills.
The extent to which research informs teaching could be better documented, as it is one
of the strengths of the programme.
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M.Sc. in Corporate Strategy & People Management: Review Report 2009-2010
5.
The Wider Context
The programme offers good corporate links, and opportunities for students to engage
with companies via an applied exercise appeared to be mutually beneficial. Informal
links between staff, local business and alumni appeared to help align the programme
with local needs, albeit on an informal and open ended basis. Again, these real
strengths could be better documented, in order that best practice may be disseminated.
6.
Summary and Concluding Remarks
The programme is well integrated and successfully links strategy with human
resources management and innovation. The programme equips students with valuable
skills and also facilitates further study at doctoral level. The aims of the programme
were clearly communicated to all key stakeholders, and sufficient evidence was
presented to confirm that the core outcomes were being attained.
Teaching and learning processes are in line with best practice in the sector. There
appears to be a great deal of commitment from the teaching team to the programme.
The programme appears well organized and there is also evidence of excellent staff
student relations.
7.
Recommendations
7.1
The role of the programme director needs to be clarified, and the workload
model revisited, to make sure the time demands of programme direction are
properly accounted for.
7.2
There is a need to benchmark administrative to academic support ratios in line
with best practice in the sector. In addition, administrative staff allocations
within the School should be analysed and redeployed where appropriate.
Owing to contractual and logistical issues, it appears that central services (above
all, human resources) and School management need to work together in such a
process.
7.3
The University costing model and budgeting processes needs to be better
communicated, and the relative proportion of surpluses returning to the School
revisited.
7.4
A greater percentage of income generated from the programme must be
reinvested in the programme to maintain standards.
7.5
The centre could consider devolving marketing and alumni service functions to
School level.
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M.Sc. in Corporate Strategy & People Management: Review Report 2009-2010
Comments on the Methodology of the Review Process
1.
2.
The self assessment report, while in compliance with the QA standard template,
could be better documented to reflect the best practice which exists in the actual
programme.
The self assessment report should contain standard templates to capture
information in a clear and consistent manner.
Professor Geoffrey Wood (Chair)
Dr Pamela Sharkey-Scott
Dr Aidan Kane
Dr Kathryn Cormican (Rapporteur)
(8th February, 2010)
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